By PETER ROWE
With home advantage still to be decided Round 16 of the NRLWA Fuel to Go and Play Premiership has plenty to offer this weekend.
Fremantle Roosters travel the short distance to Webber Reserve to face the Willagee Bears, with the winners getting a home elimination tie against their opponent in two weeks time.
And South Perth need to beat the Rockingham Sharks to secure the minor premiership and a home tie against the North Beach Sea Eagles in the major semi-final.
The Sea Eagles travel north to play the Joondalup Giants in what is expected to be a farewell appearance from longstanding halfback Gus Marshall.
For Fremantle coach Duane Butler it’s two points and that home advantage, but he knows it will not be easy.
“They blew us away last time we played there, and it will be another physical game,” Butler said.
We will need to be at 100 per cent, no half effort.”
The Roosters will be missing several FIFO players – on two week roster swings, and Butler won’t name his side until Saturday morning.
“It will be a strong side,” he added. “Just a bit different to last week.
“If we can cut out errors, especially if it’s raining, then we will be in the fight.”
Willagee coach Nelson Davis is fully aware of what Fremantle are capable of and is preparing his players for a physical match.
“They are a tough side, hard to break down and if Delane (Edwards) is playing, always dangerous,” Davis said.
“But we are a good side across the park, flamboyant at times when we like to throw the football and tough when we need to be.
“Kainoa (Gudgeon) is one of the smartest if not the smartest footballer in the competition. He has taught us all a lot about the game.”
Kelvin Coleman is missing for this game but should be back for the finals and Davis has, like Butler, a few ins and outs to due to work commitments.
“I’m not sure what my starting team will be just yet,” he said.
“It could be another wet weekend of footy so we will need to hold on to the football and carry out some risk assessment due to the weather.”
Joondalup Giants will finish their season at home to North Beach hoping their Admiral Park field has dried out after the rain of recent weeks.
They have been unable to train on it this week, opting for an inside gym session on Tuesday.
And the game will see the club celebrate the contribution made by captain and long-serving halfback Gus Marshall.
“Gus is a one-club man, has played here for 19 years from juniors and now coaches our under sixes,” coach Darren Smith said.
“A great servant to the club.”
For Smith it’s been a tough year, but also one that has seen many younger players step up tor first grade and mature.
“It’s certainly given many of them the chance to grow into senior football,” Smith said. “It will hold us in good stead into the future.”
The Giants have lost four or five players since the defeat at Rockingham two weeks ago, but hope to have Joel Irvine, River Colman and Mitch Haggart back in their lineup.
“We’d just like to give Gus a good send off with a win,” Smith added.
Beach coach Phil Douché has a couple of selection headaches for the game – with players returning from injury.
Kani Solomon is one such player set to return, in the outside backs, as Douché looks to finish the regular season on a high, ahead of their finals clash with the Lions in two weeks.
“Everyone from last week is available, plus a few returning, so it’s a good ‘headache’ to have,” Douché said.
And with another wert weather weekend expected, does that bother the Sea Eagles coach?
“We’re quite used to it after last week,” he joked. “We have plenty of experience of playing in mud now.”
Bailey Millar is back in training but will not be available until the finals in what looks to be a very strong North Beach squad.
“We’re not putting the cue in the rack yet,” Douché said. “Even though finals are sorted, we want to finish on a high.”
South of the river South Perth will be hoping to wrap up the regular season with a minor premiership, if they can beat the visiting Sharks.
“Of course we’d like a win to secure home advantage – not just for first grade but for all our grades. That would be awesome for the club, coach Duane Gwiazdzinski said.
“The weather will be a key factor to this game, but we are looking pretty strong.
“Logan Barclay will want to play against his former club, Mason Hiko is back, Okuk Mori looks to have recovered from a hamstring injury that has kept him sidelined for a few weeks and Corban Daniels will have a fitness test late in the week.”
Gwiazdzinski is not taking anything for granted though, knowing how the Sharks have been performing recently.
“We are definitely not arrogant about where we are in the league – every team is tough – and this game will be no different,” he said.
Rockingham will be without young halfback Crockett Henry, who suffered a head knock in last week’s game at Willagee, but coach Pete Worth will be wanting to finish the season a high.
“Some might say there’s nothing to play for, but we have pride and our young guys want to finish on a high,” he said.
“The young blokes have learnt a lot this year and know the expectations will be higher in 2026, so they will want to give South Perth a game. Don’t count us out.”
